Fence



(No Model.)

W. H. DUNGAN. I

FENCE.

Patented Nov. 9

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DUNGAN, OF ROGKLANE, INDIANA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION Iorming part of Letters Patent No. 352,454, dated November 9, 1886.

Application filed February 10, 1886. Serial No. 19lA53.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it-known that I, WILLIAM H. DUNGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rocklane, in the county of Johnson and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wire fences, and the improvements reside principallyin the means for tightening the wires, and the devices for automatically adjusting the tension thereof, so that when the wires expand by excessive heat during the summer the tension device will serve to take up the slackand draw the fence tight, and when the wires contract, as in the winter, the tension device will be raised, and thus allow the necessary contraction without causing the wires to become broken.

With these and other ends in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts, as will be hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of my improved fence. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the stretching devices for the wires of the fence, showing the manner in which thewires are fitted to the device. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the fence to show the hinged stays. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modified form of hinged stay. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the movable standard.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, it will be understood that in constructing my improved fence I first secure in the ground on the line where the fence is to run a series of short posts, A, which may be made of wood or burnt clay. When constructed of the last-named material, a hole should be left in the top during the process of molding the anchor. These anchors or short posts are set in the ground, so as to project some distance above it, and the height to which the said anchors project will be determined by the wishes of the constructori. 6., whether he wants a high or low ridge. When this is done, I make an excavation or U ditch out the ground along each side of the posts. or anchors, as at a, and throw the earth from this ditch up around the short posts or (No model.)

anchors A, so as to form a projecting ridge, B, along the line of the fence, the top of the posts or anchors being about level with the .top of the ridge. The end posts, 0, which carry the tension devices, are then embedded in the ground and braced by bars D. Thelower ends of the brace-bars and the posts may be secured to burntclay anchors, which are firmly'planted in the ground; but this I have not deemed it necessary to show, as it forms no part of my invention.

Where the end posts, 0, are not more than forty rods apart, only one tension device need be used, which will be located on one of the posts.

The intermediate posts, E, are usually four or six rods apart, and are provided with staples or other fastening means to holdthewires thereto.

I will now describe the construction of the tension device, which is generally secured in place before stringing or adjusting the Wires.

To the post 0 is j ournaled a short shaft, F, which extends transversely across one face thereof, and has its ends projecting therefrom and squared, as at b b. This shaft carriesa pulley, G, to which is secured one end of a cable of wire or rope, d and this rope, being wound on the pulley and passing through an opening, (1, in the post 0, is securely connected to the movable standard or upright I. Ordinarily I employ two pulleys, G, with a corresponding number of cables of wire or rope connecting with the movable standard near the top and bottom. On one side the squared ends of the shafts F receive the levers J K, arranged one above the other, with the shorter lower lever, K, connected at its end to the upper lever. At the end of the upper lever, J, depends a detachable weight, L, the action of which is to cause the levers J K to move simultaneously, an d as said levers have square am I, with the section of fence-wires, before finally adjusting the tension device J K L.

Having fitted the pulleys G with their ca.-

bles to-the end posts and connected the cables wires are not connected to the standard I.

The wires are then connected rigidly to one of the end posts, 0, and the hinged stays M, Figs. 4 and 5, are strung on the wires, and this is usually done by taking a bundle of the stays in which the eyes or perforations are aligned and passing the wires through the eyes, the stays being subsequently spaced apart along the wires to suit the wishes of the constructor. Nails are usually driven temporarily into the intermediate posts, E, when the wires'are beingstrung, so as to support the wires; but after the wires are stretched staples f, of any suitable design, are employed to hold the wires to the said posts E. When the hinged stays M have been strung on the wires and the latter supported on the intermediate posts, E, the

other ends of the wires are passed-through perforations 9, provided at suitable intervals through thestandard I, and connected to suit able stretching devices, which I will now pro-' ceed to describe, referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The stretcher N is made'of a single casting, preferably cylindrical in form, with one fend squared, as at h, and is provided at an intermediate point of its length with a series (three ordinarily) of blades or wings, O, having'one side'curved, as at t, and the other side,j, straight,

' a notch, k, being made in the base'of the curved side. I usually employ grooved iron for the standard I, and in that'case seats are provided along the face thereof to receive the ends of the cylindrical body ofthe casting, the squared end It projecting outbeyond the standard I. These castings N are clipped or wiredjto the iron standard; but whenwood iseinployed staples are used to hold said castings in place. The blades or wings 0 work in the groovefof the standard, the wires )having their ends looped around one of the blades, (see Fig. 3,) and then passed over the end of theloop,so as to prevent the tension of the wires from drawing it out. This connection serves to "hold the wires to each of the stretchers; but before wiringthe latter to the standard the wires of the fence should be connected, as described and shown. cured in place they may be turned by a wrench or other tool, so as towind the wires on the Of course each stretcher N is turned separately, so as to stretch the wires independently of each other. This causes the wires of the fence to be stretched evenly'and to the re- It will be understood that the tension or blades will abut or strike.

a uniform tension.

As soon as the stretchers are each se-.

quired tension, and in order to prevent the return movement of the stretchers N, as soon as the latter have been turned to the proper degree a transverse pin, m, is dropped in front of one of the other two wings, O, the ends of the pin resting against the side of the standard I. It will be'understoodthat the pin m prevents the stretcher N from returning or allowing the wires to unwind therefrom; but it should be explained that I do not wish to be limited to this connection, as in lieu thereof I may employ a solid block to fit in the groove of the standard,against whichblock one of the wings These or other holding devices may be employed without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

It will be understood that the tension device J K L has been up to this time used to hold the bar or standard I rigid during the operation of stretching thewires; but now that this is completed I proceed to adjust the tension devices for their proper functions. This is done by taking out thetemporary blocks mentioned, which were placed between the standard I and the end post, 0, and applying a wrench orcrank to one of the shafts F and holding the wrench while taking off thelever'J from theother end of said shaft F. A suflicient number of turns is given to the wrehch or crank to draw the movable standard I toward the end post, 0, and further tighten the wires, and when the proper tension is reached the end of the lever J is again connected to the end of shaft F, and by "the weight L the lever J serves to hold the bar or standard I, while the other lever, K. is-adjusted in the same manner. which lever K is separated from the lowershaft, F, the latter operated to bringthe lower end of standard I in line with theupper end, and the lever K replaced,the fence bei'ng'now adjusted to the proper tension and held so by the weight L.

It will be observed that should the wires cables d workingthrough the latter and winding up on the pulleysG, this turning of the pulleys being effected by the weight L on the lever J, drawing both levers J K'downward and turning theshafts F. In this manner the slack of the wires will be taken up automatically, so'as to retain "the wiresof the fence at Should the wires contract, they will draw the cables d over the-pulleys G, rotating the shaft F, and raising the levers J K, with the suspended weight, as will be readily seen.

As soon as the tension of the whole line of fence has'been adjusted I secure the wires to the intermediate posts, E, by staples, as before mentioned, attachthe lower ends of the hinged stays to the upper ends of the anchors A by boltsfso as to hinge or pivot the stays, and

stays by three or any suitable numberof vertical wires, I, which are twisted once around then connect the wires between the hinged each wire of the fence, so as to prevent spreading. The fence is now complete and ready for use.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another form of hinged stay, consisting of two pivoted bars having eyes to align with each other when the bars are brought together, and thus clasp the wires. This stay, while it is more readily ad justed and possesses other advantages over the one before described, is not so cheap, and hence may not be preferred by some who use the fence.

I attach importance to the feature of the hinged stays, as by means thereof the body of the fence is permitted to have a lateral swing or movement, which will be elastic in its nature. The top of the fence will give the most, while the extreme bottom will be rigid, so as to prevent small animals from pushing it over and getting under. The elasticity of the top of the fence serves as a guard against inflicting injury on larger animals, should they come against the fence, or doing any harm to the fence itself. As the fence yields laterally in the manner stated the tension device is drawn up by the drawing of the cables d through the post 0 and rotating the pulleys G; but as soon as the resistance against the fence is relieved the tension device operates to restore its fence to its normal position. Thus the combination of the hinged stays along the fence with the tension device at the end serves to make the fence elastic at the top, and at the same time preserve an equal and uniform tension on the fencewires.

The ridge B, on which the fence is built, serves three purposes: First, it is a landmark to set off the line of fence and keep cattle away from the fence as much as possible; second, water cannot settle around the posts so as to cause them to decay, but will drain off down the ridge; and, third, when the ridge has been sown with grass, it serves as one of the ornamental features of the fence which I claim.

The interlocked wires P prevent the wires of the fence from spreading, while the hinged stays and intermediate posts, E, obviate sagging of the wires.

In practice the intermediate posts, E, are arranged one for every four rods, the end posts, 0, for every corner, or one every forty rods on a straight line, while the hinged stays are about a rod apart, with the wires P, of any desired number. between them. I usually employ No. 7 for the top wire of the fence, and No. 9 for the other wires, the interlacedwires P being smaller in diameter, preferably N o. 14.

I lay special claim to the small stretchers N, owing to their simplicity of construction and operation and cheapness to manufacture, no cumbersome boxes or pawl-and-ratchet connections being employed.

In order to define the nature and scope of the present invention, it should be stated that it is old in the art to employ hinged stays to connect the wires of a fence; also,.that the construction of a ridge along the line of fence is not new; also, that a tension device, to act automatically on the wires of a fence, is old in the art; and, finally, that heretofore it has been proposed to divide a stretching device comprising a box and a shaft carrying a series of blades or wings, the latter abutting against the closed wall of the box to limit further movement of the shaft. These constructions. I hereby disclaim.

I also wish it understood that I do not claim, in a fence, the combination, with the two sections of fence, of the rigid post between the sections, the pulleys mounted on the post, the

cables connected to the two sections and wound in reverse directions on the pulleys, and the tension device connected directly to the shafts of the pulleys, so as to act upon both sections of fence simultaneously, as such is not my in vention.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The short posts or anchors A, set in the ground, in combination with the stays M, hinged at their lower ends to the top of the posts or anchors and connecting the wires of the fence, the standard I, connecting the ends of the wires. the cables connected to the stand ard, thepulleys on which the cables are wound,

and the tension devices mounted on the shafts of the pulleys, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the posts or anchors A, set in the ground, of the stays M, hinged thereto and connecting the wires, the movable standard I at the ends of the wires, independently-acting cables connecting with the top and bottom of the standard, the pulleys on which the respective cables are wound, and weighted devices for both pulleys, whereby the top of the fence is made elastic, as set forth. 3. The combination, with the wires of a fence, of a stretching device having aseries of wings orblades, to one of which the ends of the wires are secured, and a stop to engage the wings and prevent the stretching device from unwinding, as set forth. I

4. The combination, with the wires of a fence, of the movable standard connecting the ends of the wires,the post,the'cables connected to the standard and passed through the post, the pulleys journaled in the post and having the cables wound thereon, the levers J K, connected together and mounted rigidly on one end of the shafts of the pulleys, and a weight suspended from the lever J, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. DUNGAN. 

